Friends Community School

We witnessed this as well. Our child attended a trial day here and came back home complaining that a few kids simply dominated the class, walking around, shouting out, talking during classtime, interrupting, and the worst thing is that the teacher didn't succeed in doing a thing to stop it, like this is a normal occurrence. My child is normally pretty social but felt belittled and disrespected by the other students.

Re: the november 22 comment. There isn't much in terms of physical bullying at fcs -- but i have to agree that the rough, loud kids do have control of the school. The problem is that there really is no repercussion for misbehavior in class. For instance, lets say a boys acts up and hits someone. He won't be punished... the whole class instead will be forced to stay inside for recess. The boy learns only that he will not be held responsible for his actions... and the other kids learn that they may as well misbehave too, what do they have to lose? So classes often start out with only a few bad apples, but within a few months the rudeness and aggressiveness have spread to the whole class. We've been lucky to have been in a class without any such problems, but we've seen other classes in the school suffer because the school refuses to do anything about disrespectful or disruptive behavior. I know several other parents who are leaving because of this.
--Submitted by a parent

I feel compelled to respond to the parent posting of November 22, to address the statement that mean kids run roughshod over the more timid kids. We have a child with learning differences and have felt nothing but acceptance from the teachers, administrative staff and students. We see no evidence of exclusion, bullying or mean spiritedness from the students at FCS. I can't help but wonder if this parent tried to work out their differences with the teachers and staff . I wish them the best in their new school
--Submitted by a parent

This school has so much potential but it never quite lives up to its lofty goals. While it deems itself as green, the kids hardly ever go outside for any time with nature (despite it being right next to Greenbelt National Forest). It claims to handle conflict resolution well, yet in many classes, the mean girls (and boys) run roughshod over the more timid kids, and our teacher didn't notice or care or do much about it. We left last year, so can't speak to the recent personnel changes, so maybe they are trying to improve things. There are some great teachers here, but overall, things could be better if they actually were as respectful, inclusive, progressive, and as green as they think they are.
--Submitted by a parent

We are finishing eight great years at FCS and can testify that the school is both academically challenging and socially engaging. Students are taught the Quaker values of conflict resolution from first grade, and the academic environment thrives with a student focused education, instead of the teacher focused education found in local public schools. Highly recommended.
--Submitted by a parent

Our son is in his second year at FCS. We are very pleased with the atmosphere, staff professionalism, progressive teaching and individualized instruction that our son has received. This school is dedicated to celebrating each person as they are and helping them to reach their full potential. We highly recommend this school.
--Submitted by a parent

We are new to FCS this year, but feel like we have finally found a home, with integrity, true diversity, and an emphasis on ethics and values over the bells and whistles. We'll weigh in more as the year goes on.
--Submitted by a parent

Our children have attended FCS for 8 years now and we believe they have gotten an excellent education. The school is able to focus on meeting children where they are (academically) and urging them to reach new heights. We love the emphasis on Quaker values such as simplicity, integrity, peace and community. We know our children's friends and families very well and cherish the years we have spent at Friends Community School.
--Submitted by a parent

We are nearing the end of our 5th year at FCS. We have two children in the school and are very happy with it. It offers a well-rounded education for the whole human being, with a minimum of testing. It emphasizes cooperation over competition. The teachers and staff are very keen on helping each child achieve his/her potential in a positive, values-based way. The arts are given significant weight; concepts learned in the classroom are reinforced through projects, presentations and field trips; and responsibility for the earth is emphasized. While a brilliant child who is working several grades above his or her age level may not find the curriculum demanding enough, for the majority of children, this is a great school. The current head of school is such a blessing compared to the individual he replaced, and teachers seem genuinely happy.
--Submitted by a parent

Quaker values are an important part of FCS, which really gives children a supportive and loving community to grow in. My child is in her 6th year at the school and has thrived there. All her teachers have been excellent. The school has a strong focus on experiential learning including many field trips and service projects and the academics are exciting. The kids often work together and an atmosphere of cooperation rather than competition is fostered. If you are looking for a place for your child to learn rather than constantly be assessed with standardized tests, where children are known and valued as unique individuals, you should be looking at FCS.
--Submitted by a parent